Welsh point-to-pointing is mourning the death of its leading bookmaker John Lovell who was killed in a motoring accident just two or three minutes from his Cardiff home on Monday.

John, 70, who brought computerised betting to Britain, was known at racecourses all over the country and the fact that he attended the Monmouthshire Hunt point-to-point on Saturday, in preference to the National Hunt meeting at nearby Chepstow Racecourse, said something about his love of racing between-the-flags.He was chairman of the South and West Wales Bookmakers Association and he will be sadly missed at Saturday's Ystrad Taf Fechan meeting for more reasons than one - his bookmaking collegues usually followed his lead when it came to marking up the odds.

Meanwhile, life goes on and racing at Ystradowen gets under way with the members' race for which there are nine entries including last year's winner the much improved Lady Myfanwy. Lady Myfanwy's stable mate Valjean looks the pick of the rest while Ross Farr's Billy Lane, who has been knocking on the door several times this season,could go well in a smaller field.

There are 23 entries for the restricted and these include course winners Imperial Sam and Well Mick. Others with chances are recent Monmouthshire members' winner Here To Eternity and the French-bred winner Tinalliat, but David Brace's Imperial Sam gets the nod.

Of the 22 down to run in the confined, recent winner Adventurist,who gave 19 year-old Alan Johns his first winner over the course a fortnight ago, will be most people's idea of the winner. However, Dawn Tranter's grey Waddon Hill, a three lengths winner of the Monmouthshire intermediate,may have most to fear from Edna Hussey's Bob Bites Back and David Brace's Mike Golden who, like Adventurist,have both shown they know their way around this tricky, undulating yet picturesque racetrack.

There are eleven entries for the men's open and these also include Adventurist.But Eddie Ford's Little Ed, having clocked the day's fastest time here a fortnight ago,will be going for a six-timer and the best of the rest appear to be the French-bred Danbury.

Wages, who disappointed again at Llanvapley when finishing fourth behind Lunar Crystal despite being made favourite, could meet the highly rated Goblet Of Fire owned by top National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls.Lady Myfanwy is another with strong claims while of the rest of the 16 entries also worth a mention are Perouse, Father Tom and Seanthesmuggler.

There are 30 entries for the young horse maiden and the form horses here are Apocalozzo and UpThe Boreen and they are preferred in that order. Eden Rose, Miss Millfield and Slade Supreme are others to take into account in the absence of the first two named.

James Isaac's Leahy could finally get rid of his maiden tag in the aged maiden for which there are 19 entries. Eric Clough's Bowd Lane Joe,Dai Rees's Red Buttons and Messrs Wallis and Pritchard's Monsieur Delage,however,will see to it that the ten-year-old Leahy,who will be putting in his best work closer to home, will not have matters all his own way though.

First race 2:00pm